The present invention broadly relates to a new and improved hydraulic system.
In its more specific aspects the present invention relates to a new and improved hydraulically operated drive, in particular a rotational drive for a Gatling cannon or gun, comprising motor means and a control system for speed control.
A known state of the art construction of the aforementioned type of apparatus comprises a hydraulically operated rotational drive of which the rotating mass is accelerated in a relatively short time to a high operating speed and decelerated rapidly by means of the rotational drive. This rotational drive is dimensioned for the maximum required torque, thus over-dimensioned for applications requiring essentially no more than the sustenance of the operating speed.
For the sustenance of the operating speed the heretofore known rotational drive only requires a relatively low torque, respectively a relatively low hydraulic pressure applied to the hydraulic motor. As a consequence the pressure of the hydraulic medium supplied to the drive system needs to be reduced considerably by throttling the hydraulic medium after attaining the operating speed. The throttling causes losses which, in turn, lead to a low efficiency of the rotational drive system or drive.